Jigsaw
by petiteshima
Summary: Seeing her walk away with him, it just didn't fit. Like when you were a child doing a jigsaw and you couln't find the right piece to fit. So instead you got another piece and tried to force it into the jigsaw. The problem was it just didn't fit.


**Woo-hoo my first Fairy Tail story! :) I love Gruvia so I've been itching to write a one-shot about them for ages and here it is! :) I hope you all enjoy it :)**

**p.s To MissCandyDreamer, this is dedicated to you! Merry Christmas! :) **

**(edited once on 29/12/11)  
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**_Disclaimer - I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters, items, places etc._**

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><p>It was a peaceful, albeit rare, day in the city of Magnolia. Well <em>almost<em> peaceful with the exception of one particular ice mage.

Gray Fullbuster was sauntering down the street that ran along the canal, his hands shoved into his pockets and a scowl on his face.

"Go get this, go get that," He said in a higher voice, mimicking his friend Erza Scarlet before returning to speaking normally, "Jeez I don't have time to run errands."

Gray was currently on his way to pick up a package which he presumed contained a new cake and dessert plates for Erza to eat her precious strawberry cake since Gray had, once again, knocked her elbow and caused her cake _and_ the plate to smash on the ground.

He hadn't meant to do it, honest. Gajeel just happened to be preparing singing on stage and Gray really did not want to hear another verse of 'shooby doo bop'. Sure Gajeel was quite good at song-writing; the problem was when the Iron Dragon Slayer tried to transfer the words on paper into song. So Gray had jumped up from his seat beside Titania to protest against Gajeel's performance when he had accidentally knocked the strawberry cake from Erza's hands.

Gray rubbed the blossoming bruise at the back of his head; Erza of course hadn't let him get away with his actions without using violence.

It had been a few weeks since the group, including himself, from Tenrou Island had returned. The catch was seven years had passed since they had left. Everything was so different from several years previous; it didn't feel like home to Gray anymore. His own apartment was practically unrecognisable after spending years dormant; it had taken three whole days for him to clean it until it looked near enough the same as it had. The guild was another issue altogether. Firstly it was, in Gray's own words, a 'crappy windmill shack that was falling apart' and all the members were so much older and, to his and Natsu's annoyance, more skilled and powerful than before. Heck, Natsu had nearly been beaten by _Max_ of all people!

Gray shook his head to clear the negative thoughts about his guild spreading throughout his head. Sure it was different from before, Fairy Tail's fall from grace was one way to describe it, but nothing would change the fact that it was _his_ home. It was his _nakama_ that were there. It was the same good ol' Fairy Tail that he had left seven years ago…only everything was older and, to put it lightly, slightly crap.

"Gray!"

Gray looked up from the paved ground of the footpath to meet the brown eyes of his teammate, Lucy Heartfilia. With a quick look at his surroundings, Gray realised he was in fact outside Lucy's canal side apartment.

"What are you doing out here?" Lucy asked, looking at the exhibitionist with curiosity before she frowned, "If you're thinking of sneaking into my apartment and ruining the place _again_ you better turn around right here and-."

"Calm down Lucy," Gray interrupted her before she could unleash her anger, "I'm on an errand for Erza."

Lucy's famous get-the-hell-away-from-my-apartment face disappeared immediately and she smiled, "So she's got you doing errands now too? I thought it was just Natsu she had whipped."

Gray snorted, "As if," He sighed, "I ruined another one of her damn cakes again."

Lucy rolled her eyes and folded her arms, "You're lucky to be alive Gray. This is what? The _fifth_ time this has happened? I'm surprised you're not six feet underground!"

"This is the first time she's got me replacing the cake along with plates," He muttered, copying Lucy's stance of crossed arms, "Normally she would just hit me and I'd spend a few days in the infirmary."

Lucy sweat-dropped, "And you're unhappy about _this_ punishment because…?"

Gray ignored her and said, "I'd better get going, Erza said the cake shop was where I had to go," Gray began to walk away before Lucy grabbed his arm.

"The cake shop?"

"Yes," Gray replied sceptically, "Why?"

"Gray, you're going the wrong way _and _you're on the opposite side of the canal."

"You're _not_ serious are you?"

Lucy let go of Gray and laughed. "I take that as a yes then," Gray muttered before groaning.

"You can cut across the bridge to save time," Lucy said, pointing in the direction Gray had original been heading for, "If you walk across it then you'll be on the other side of the canal, the _proper_ side, and all you have to do is walk straight ahead, take a left and the cake shop should be there."

Gray's annoyance left him with her words, "Thanks Lucy," He said, walking in the direction of the bridge as he called to her over his shoulder, "You're a life saver!"

Lucy waved and departed, in the direction of the guild probably. Gray hoped she would keep her mouth shut about their meeting to Erza; she would kill him for his lack of a sense of direction alone.

After walking for around five minutes, Gray found himself at the bridge that led to the other side of the canal and, hopefully, to the cake shop. It was then that Gray noticed for the first time, having been too deep in thought before to notice, that there was someone already on the bridge.

Juvia Lockser was sitting against the stone wall of the bridge, looking out towards the canal with a subdued expression on her face. Gray watched her as she, with a flick of her wrist, caused the water in the canal to rise and fall. She continued to do this four times until Gray decided to make his presence known.

"Hey Juvia," He said, walking up her. Gray expected her usual response of going red, eyes sparkling, fluster speech or even fainting. Gray did not expect her to _ignore_ him.

'_This__ is__ awkward__'_ Gray thought as Juvia continued to cause the water to rise and fall. He was standing right beside her now yet she was still unaware of his company.

"Juviaaaaaaaaa," He drawled, nudging her slightly. She stopped manipulating the canal water and fixed her eyes on Gray. Her cheeks turned a faint pink and her eyes widened slightly at his close proximity to her.

"G—Gray-sama?" She stuttered, "Wh-what are you doing here?"

_'__That__'__s__ more __like __it__'_ Gray thought before answering her, "I'm on an errand for Erza, I ruined her dessert again."

"Juvia is sure that it was not Gray-sama's fault," Juvia said, giving Gray a well needed ego boost.

"Try telling that to Erza," He said, leaning against the bridge wall beside Juvia. They fell into silence for a while, content with the sound of their breathing and the channel of water running underneath them.

"Thank you."

Gray turned his head towards Juvia who was fiddling with her skirt. Gray noticed she wasn't dressed in her usual navy blue coat and fur shawl. She was wearing the outfit she first wore when she joined Fairy Tail and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail.

"What for?"

"For saving Juvia from that woman on Tenrou Island," Juvia's face heated as she felt Gray's stare on her face.

"No problem," He replied.

"Juvia has been meaning to show her appreciation since returning to from the island," Juvia murmured, avoiding looking at Gray.

"Well, you're welcome," Was all Gray could say, "I'm sure you would have done it for me."

"O-o-of course Gray-sama!" Juvia stammered her reply, her face bright red.

Gray smiled at her before they lapsed into a silence once again. Gray peeked at Juvia as she looked out from the bridge. Gray was pretty close to Juvia, considering she was a girl and his nakama. Yeah sure she was weird at times but, in all honesty, weird was not a bad thing. Gray needed a bit of weird in his life when things got too serious.

"You look different."

_'__Dammit_!' Gray mentally cursed as he spoke the words without thinking. Juvia was staring at him, it looked like she was going to faint on the spot.

"Different?" Juvia said, cautiously. Wait, had she taken him the_ wrong_ way?

"Not in a bad way!" Gray protested as he spotted the water mage's eyes filling up, he hated seeing girls cry, "I meant it in a good way!"

Gray mentally groaned as Juvia failed to understand what he was saying. He looked her in the eye and said, "I mean you look pretty."

Juvia looked at Gray with wide eyes as her face flushed. She reached for her hair in her ponytail and twirled her blue hair between her fingers self-consciously.

"Juvia isn't pretty." She murmured, draping her free hand across her torso.

"Hey," Gray said, forcing her to look at him. He pointed at himself and said, "I never tell a lie."

Juvia smiled softly and was about to open her mouth to speak when, unfortunately, they heard a voice.

"Gray Fullbuster is that_ you?_"

Gray looked behind him to see none other than Lyon Bastia walking across the bridge towards himself and Juvia. Lyon hadn't really changed over the past seven years. Sure he was taller and Lucy had said he had become more handsome, but in Gray's eyes he was still the same old Lyon who was his fellow pupil under Ul's guidance.

"Ah Lyon," Gray turned to face the older man, "I didn't know you were back in Magnolia."

The last time Gray had seen Lyon was when they had all returned from Tenrou Island and it was on that day that Lyon had first seen…

"Juvia!" Lyon noticed the water mage hiding behind Gray, "What a coincidence to see you here!"

"So as I was sayi-."

Gray was however ignored as Juvia had captured all of Lyon's attention.

"How have you been?"

"Juvia has been okay."

"That's good. I heard Fairy Tail is competing in the Great Magic Games this year."

"Yes, we are."

"Although we're technically 'enemies' in the eyes of the tournament, I wish you good luck."

"Thank you Lyon-san."

"I wonder if we'll battle against one another?"

"Possibly."

"Well, I'll not go easy on you."

"Juvia does not expect Lyon-san to."

Gray was irritated. Firstly he was being completely ignored. Secondly when standing beside Lyon, Gray was considerably shorter; this was a _major_ wound to his ego. Thirdly, and the most puzzling reason to Gray, Juvia was not paying attention to him.

"I'm in Magnolia for the rest of the day, so if you're free we can go out? I'm not that familiar with the city so you could show me around?"

Juvia looked from Gray to Lyon, twice, before she opened her mouth.

"Erm…Juvia…well..."

"Of course only if you don't need her Gray?" Lyon turned towards his fellow ice mage, who was scowling up at him.

Gray wanted to say, for reasons beyond his imagination, '_hell__ yes, __I __do__ need __her__'__._

But Gray didn't say that.

"No, I don't need her," He said coolly, clenching his hands into fists.

"Great," Lyon smiled, unknown to Juvia's heartbreaking beside him as he confidently took her hand, "see you later Gray."

Gray nodded as Lyon began to walk away with Juvia. As they walked away Gray caught a glimpse of Juvia's face, looking him right in the eye.

She looked heartbroken.

Juvia looked at Gray over her shoulder for merely a second, but that was enough for Gray to take in the whole picture.

Lyon was walking away with Juvia, hand in hand.

Lyon Bastia, his fellow pupil of Ur and his rival. Confident, member of Lamia Scale and stronger than Gray now that he was seven years older.

Juvia Lockser, his nakama of Fairy Tail. Weird, loyal, loving, bashful, pretty, cute...Gray stopped himself before the list could extend into unfamiliar territory.

It just didn't fit. Like when you were a child doing a jigsaw puzzle and you couldn't find the right piece to fit. So instead of searching for the right piece you grabbed another and tried to force it into jigsaw.

In Gray's eyes Lyon looked like he was forcing his hand into Juvia's, but it didn't match hers.

Gray's instinct acted before he did.

Gray ran up to the pair ahead of him, not stopping to apologise to Lyon as he grabbed Juvia's free hand and tugged her away from Lyon.

"Gray-sama?" Juvia exclaimed as she stared in wonder as Gray ran with her away from a bewildered Lyon, who was too stunned to speak.

Gray looked down at their hands entwined and to Juvia's surprise he smiled.

"Huh," He muttered, almost to himself, "I guess it fits."

Juvia was too happy to care about not understanding his words.

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><p>"GRAY FULLBUSTER I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Erza's voice resounded throughout the guild, "FIRST YOU RUIN MY STRAWBERRY CAKE AND LAUGH. SECONDLY YOU FORGET TO PICK UP MY NEW STRAWBERRY CAKE AND PLATE! FINALLY I SPOT YOU SLACKING OFF WITH JUVIA WHEN YOU SHOULD BE COLLECTING MY STRAWBERRY CAKE!"<p>

"Jeez Erza seems angry," Natsu whispered to Lucy as they hid under the table from Erza's tirade.

"You don't say," Lucy retorted sarcastically as chair flew over the table they were under and crashed against the wall.

"This could be my chance to beat her in a fight!" Natsu became excited at the prospect of winning in a battle against the famous Titania as Lucy face palmed before holding his arm to restrain him.

"Let her find Gray first."

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><p>"Gray-sama," Juvia whispered as Gray sat frozen by her side, "why are we in a broom cupboard in the guild's kitchen?"<p>

"Hiding," Gray replied stiffly.

"Erza wanted to talk to Gray-sama earlier, remember she was waving at Gray-sama and Juvia with her sword," Juvia whispered as they heard the chaos occurring in the guild outside the cupboard door, "it might be important. Shouldn't Juvia and Gray-sama go talk to Erza?"

Gray groaned, thinking of the sword, "I'll pass."

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><p><strong>So that's that :) Hopefully it wasn't too bad! I apologise if the characters were OCC and the storyline was stupidly cheesy! xD<strong>

**Please remember to read + review! Constructive criticism is welcomed! **

**~petiteshima**


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